Rotary engine.



No. 840,688. PATENTED JAN. s, 1907.

A. E. CARPENTER. 'ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 19. 1905.

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AMCS H. CARPENTER, OFr S'IOCKTON, CALIFORNIA.

AROTARY ENGINE.

No; 840,688. i

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 8 19.07.

, Application filed September 19,1905. Serial No. 279.153.

' T0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AMos I-I. CARPENTER,

a citizen of the United States, residing at erencebeinghad to the accompanying draw'- ings, and the letters of reference marked lthereon, which form a part of this specification.v

My invention relates to certain improvements in rotary engines; and the object vof my -im rovement is toprovide a machine that wil utilize steam economically and to the best advantage andreceive the steam directly against rojections in the periphery of the' rotating w eel at any'desired distance fromthe axle, and thereby develop more power-than can be obtained from engines now in use with a like amount'of steam. This I accomplish bythe use of the peculiar construction and. novel combination and adaptation of parts hereinafter described, andl particularly pointedout in the claims hereunto annexed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings for a better comprehension thereof, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation in vertical section through'line B Bj of Fig.` 2, showing the valves and parts. Fig'. 2 is a plan view, partly in section, o n line 'A A of Fig. l, showing the live-steam port and the exhauststeam ort. Fig. 3 is a detail view of a section o the solid wheel, with only one' comviewbf a section of the shel and piston,

showing the packing in position. Fig. 5 isa face view of the same.`

y My; improvement consists, essentially, of: the hollow cylinder C, whichmay be made of any, suitable llength and diameter f and which may have one compartment only, as shown in Fig. 3, or it may be divided by Suitable partitions P into two or more compartments, as shown in 2. Each end of the. cylinder isti htly closed by a suitable cover or end piece and E', which is fastened to its respective end of the cylinder by any suitable means. The shaftS may be enlarged or rovided with a drum D and is made to pass engthwise through the center of said cylinder C and through the 4aforesaid covers or yfrom which through its Atriangular projection or nozzle N' to the front face thereof, whereby the same is end Vpieces and is journaled in the latter,

Iwhich said journals are properly packed to -make the same steam-tight.

In each compartment C and C of said cylinder is placed a rotating wheel W, which is rigidly attached to said shaft S and which is of sufiicient size to completely iill its respective chamber and turn loosely therein, except that one or more yrecesses or steam-chambers F and F are made in its periphery of suitable length, depth, and width, one end of which'said recess F is made to extend abruptly into said i rotating wheel at any desired angle, andthe the other end of said recess F commencing at any suitable point, gradually-l lessens in depth, and finally terminates in the periphery of the wheel, which recessy constitutes-the steam-chamber, and the abrupt end-thereof F serves as the endof the piston against' which the steam is driven to produce the rotation of the inside wheel. A suitable steam- `feed chamber G is rigidly attached to saidA cylinder C foreach compartment thereof at a suitable Lpoint on its periphery, the inside oflwhich is cylindrical in form and serves as the incasementof thefeed-valve V, which said valve is adapted toc'losely fit andl work insaid feed-chamber G and? is cylindrical in form, except that-on its periphery is rigidly attached a vtriangular or other suitablyshaped projection or nozzle N, which when turned downward'is stopped by the wallsl of the feed-chamberfand rests closely a ain'st the sides of its chamber and is of suffgicient `length and width to reach the bottom and sides of said recesses in the periphery of its'- respective wheel, and thereby forms a steam- `tight partition therein. f i partment in the cylinder. Fi 4 is a detail Extending lengthwise through the'center of the feed-valve Vis a cylindrical hole I-I, which serves as a journal for its axisfand asses l a slot-like aperture 1I connected with the said steam-chambers F The axle of the feed-valve consists of a hollow cylindrical pipe J, each end of which is IOO IOS

journaled loosely but steam-tight in the ,re-` 1- i spective end pieces of the feed-chamber G, so

that the same may be turned by the lever L, that is fastened rigidly to its end M, that projects through one of the ends ofI said feed- IIO chamber G, and the other end of said axle:-

pipe K is journaled loosely in the other end piece of the feed-chamber and connects with the pipe U, through which steam is admitted from the boiler to the feed-valve V. Along narrow slot O passes lengthwise through the periphery of said axle-pipe J, which allows the steam to pass from the same and come in contact with the inside contiguous surface of the feed-valve V, and said slot is so disposed therein that by turning the axle-pipe by means of the lever L the slots of andaxle-pipe can be adjusted with reference to each other, so as to increase or diminish the supply of steam that is admitted into the steam-chamber of the wheel. A triangular or other suitably-shaped recess is made in the frame of the feed chamber contiguous to its cylindrical apartment and the periphery of its respective wheel for the purpose of I receiving `said triangular or other suitablysys shaped nozzle of the feed-valve when the same is closed. When it is desired to use the same steam more than once, a similar feedchamberl G with feed-valve, axle-pipe, and

recess, is made and rigidly attached to the periphery of said cylinder at any suitable place for each compartment thereof, or when the wheel is solid, having only one compartment and more than one set of steam-chambers, as shown in Fig, 3, for each set or series of steamchambers therein, and the working of each subsequent feed-valve in such chamber is similar to the first, except that the exhaust.

pipe of the first chamber serves as the feedpipe of the second, and if more than two feedchambers are used the exhaust-pipe of the second serves as the feed-pipe of the third, the s ame being connected by suitable connecting-pipes, whereby' the steam may be used as many times as desired by making additional compartments in the cylinder or more chambers or sets of chambers in the solid wheel, as shown in Fig. 3,- the subsequent, compartments or sets of chambers and rotating wheels being larger than the preced-l ing one in order toy allow the steam to expand in passing from one to the other.

pWhen the feed-valve is open and the nozzle projects into the steam-chamber of the rotating wheel, the steam presses against the piston-headVV F, formed in the periphery of the wheel, and forces the same to turn on its axis, andwhen the nozzle of the feed-valve is raised from said steam-chamber by the cam iprortion and thrown into its recess R in the ame of the cylinderthe slot I of the valve V4 passes the slot O in the axleipe J and the steam ifs shut off; but the slot remains full of compressed steam, and when the cam portion on the'p'eriphery ofthe wheel passes the nozzle N andthe steam-chamber becomes contiguous to said nozzle the compressed steam in the slot I expands against the upper wall of the recess R and throws the nozzle back into the said contiguous chamber, thereby making the valve eeft-acting. The dotted the valve and into this lines Q show the position of the slotl when the valve V is closed and resting in the recess R. The exhaust-holes T and '1" for each set of steam-chambers pass from the periphery of the cylinder into the inside thereof at an suitable point, and the exhaust-hole of the first set of steam-chambers is connected by any suitable pipe with the feed-Valve of the next set of steam-chambers, and the exhaust of the last set is made into the open air by the pipe T.

Steam packing rings or strips X, such as are commonly used, are placed on the periphery of the axle or its drum at each end thereof, vand where the partitions P between the compartments ofthe cylinder come in contact with the same, so that such bearings` chambers therein and work closely againstthe periphery of the cylindrical hole of the cylinder.

For packing other joints or bearings that are necessary to be made steam-tight a cylindrical hole Y is made at any suitable place that opens upon the surface to be packed, hole is fitted a cylindrical post Z, to which is laterally attached a thin flat ymetal card-'piece 6, with beveled outer end 7, which is hinged therein, and the pressure of the steam under the beveled edge forces the card-piece against the opposite surface, thereby making the joint steam-tight, or any other suitable steam-packing device may be used. Y

.The partitions P, in which the shaft S is j ournaled and which are rigidly attached to the hollow cylinder, and thereby form steamtight compartments therein, may be dis-A pensed with by making the rotating wheel, regardless of the number of sets of steamchambers in its periphery, solid with a pro-` jecting rim 8 encircling the wheel between the sets of steam-chambers and extending outward to the periphery of the cylindrical hole in the cylinder, as shown in Fie. 3, and the same results are thereby obtained.

When steam is made to pass into the steam axle-pipe, it can pass into the feed-valve only when the slots of the valvel and conjunction, and when the nozzle of the pipe are in valve is raised from the steam-chamber of the wheel and thrown into the recess R in the frame of the cylinder the slots are so arranged that they cease to be in conjunction and the steam is shut oif. When the nozzle IIO is thrown downward by the expansive force ofthe steam in the slot, as above shown, the steam passes to the steam-chamber of the retating` wheel-and presses against the head thereof and causes the same to revolve, and;

l when the cam portion of said wheel reaches 4the nozzle of the feed-valve it gradually againin the engine. As soon as the-aforesaid slots in valve and axle'pi'pe cease to be in ,conjunctionv the steamv ceases to enter the chamber, and the steam then works expansively. .i f

By means of the lever L- the axle-pipe J may be turned inv either-direction, and the admission of steam into'the chamber is vregulated thereby.

AClif it'is desiredfto lill entire chamber with steam, the lever is, turned so v'that the slot in the pipeextends upward, so that it cannot be covered bythe encircling pipe of the feed-valveuntil itlreaches its position in the recessR, and by turning itin the opposite direction the slot maybe partially covered when the valve is Wide vopen, and the amount of steam Vthat passes into the chamber is thereby diminished, and if the lever yis turned still further in the same direction'the steam may be entirely shut off, and the engine will cease to work; v I

What Iclaim as my invention, and desire to secure by LettersPatent, is

v 1. A hollow cylinder with closed ends, provided withj a shaft that'passes lengthwise through its center and is journaled in the end pieces thereof, a rotating wheel withinsa-id cylinder that turns therein and is rigidly attached ,to said shaft, and that has onepor more recesses or chambers in its periphery, of

suitable depth', length and, width, one end of which said recess orl recesses extends abruptly into the periphery of the wheel, at any` suitable angle,".and the other'end, commencing atanysuitable poing-gradually lessens in depth until it terminates inthe periphery of the wheel, asuitable feed-chamber; for each set ofrecesses in the wheel'for the incasement ofthe feed-valve, a suitable feed-valve with projecting nozzle that is adapted to drop from the frame ofl the inclosing feedchamber into the chambers in the periphery ofthe inside wheel, and suitably hinged jon a laterally-slotted feed-.pipe vfor the entrance of the steam so as to open or close'the slot in the valve at any desired po'intin the revolution ofthe inside wheel by the motion of the nozzle caused by its contact with the cam portion on the periphery of said wheel'so as to utilize the expansive power of the steam, and a suitable exhaust-port for the escape of the steam, substantially as set forth.

2. AV hollow cylinder with closed ends, provided with one or more compartments and suitable partitions to form the sameand a shaft that passes lengthwise through its center. and is .j ournaled in the end pieces. thereof and'said partitions, ya rotating wheel in each compartment that turns loosely therein and is rigidly attached to said shaft and that has one'or more recesses or steam-,chambers in( its periphery, of suitable depth, length and width, one end of which said recess or chambers extend abruptly into the periphery of its respective rotatingwheel, at any suitable angle or curve, and the other end, commencing at any suitable point, gradually lessens in depth until it terminates in theperiphery of thewheel, a suitable feed-chamber for each compartment and inclosed Wheelfor the inclosure' of the feed-valve, a suitable cylindrical -feed-valve, with projecting nozzle, hinged on a hollow feed-pipe andadapted to swing thereon and drop from the frame of the inclosing feed-chamberinto the chambers in i, the periphery ofthe inside wheel, and provided j with a lateral slot extending lengthwise from its interior to the'outer surface through the l front face of the nozzle, 'and havingV a hollow feed-pipe as anl axle which is provided with a lateral slot extending lengthwise through its i shell thatisjso arranged as to be opened or closed at any desired ,point in the .revolution l of'the'inside wheel by properly adjusting the cam-piece on its periphery to operate said nozzle4 and thereby. use the expansive force of the steam, and a suitable exhaust-hole for the lescape of the steam, substantially as set forth.

3. `A hollow cylinder with closed ends, providedk with an enlarged shaft or drum that passes lengthwise through its center andis y L journaled in the end pieces thereof, a rotat- =ing Wheel within. Said cylinder that `turns therein and is rigidly'attached to said shaft 1 or drum,jand that has one or more recesses or `steam-chambers or sets of 'chambers 1n its periphery., of suitable depth, length land Width, one end of which said recess or chambers extends abruptly into the periphery of the wheel fat any suitable angle, and the f. other end, commencing at any suitablepoint,` gradually lessens in depth until it terminates' in the periphery of the wheel, a feed-chamber forI each set of steam-chambers in the wheel y rigidly attached to said cylinder'at asuitable 'place on its periphery for the inclosure of the l i feed-valve the inside of which is cylindrical in form and adapted to receive and closely em- ;brace a hollow cylindrical feed-valve that turns loosely therein and upon a'hollow pipe passing through its center and Whichhas a lateral slot running lengthwise throu h its shell at anysuitableplace as an axis, t e ends of which'arejournaled in the ends of said feedchamber, and that has a triangular or other suitably-shapedprojection or nozzle rigidly attached toits periphery, of suitable length,

breadth and thickness to penetrate said ICO steam-chambers in the Wheel and form a steam-tight partition therein, through which a long narrow slot passes from thecenter of said valve to its iront face, a lever' attached to the end of the axle-pipe Which projects through one of the end pieces of said feedchamber, a suitable recess in the frame of said feed-'chamber to receive said nozzle oi said valve when closed, a suitable exhaust hole and ppe for each set of steamcha,mbers in the wh'eel for the. escape of the steam, and

suitable packing for the steam-joints, substantially as set forth.

4. A hollow cylinder with closed ends, provided with one or more compartments, and

" an enlarged shaft or drum that passes length Wise through its center and is journaled in the end pieces thereof, a rotatingwheel in each compartment of thecylinder that turns l loosely therein and is rigidly attached to said shaft r drum, and that has one vor more re-r cesses or'steam-chambers in its periphery, of suitable depth, length and width, one end of Which said recess or chambers extends ab ruptly into the periphery of its respective lwheel at any suitable curve or angle, and the other end, commencing at any suitable point, gradually lessens in depth until it terminates in the periphery of the wheel', a feed-charnber rigidly'attached to said cylinder for each compartment thereof, at any suitable place on 'its periphery for the inclos-ure oi the feedd valve, the inside of which is cylindrical in form and adapted toreceive and closely emd brace a hollow cylindrical feed-valve that works loosely passing through its center and which has a lateral slot: runningv lengthwise through its shell at any suitable place as 'an aXis, the ends oi which are journaled in thel ends oi' said lieed-cha'mb'er','and that has al triangular or othersuitably-shaped pro'ection or nozzle rigidly attached to its perip ery, oi suitable length, breadth, and thickness'to penetrate the said steam-chambers in'theywheel and form a steam-tight partition therein, through which along' narrow slot :passes from the center oi'said valve to its'iront face, a l'ever attached to the end of the axle-pipe which extends through one end of the iieedrhamber', a suitable recess in the iframe of said feed-V c'hamber to receivensaid nozzle oi the valve when closed, suitable partitions between the compartments oi the cylinder, a suitable errhau'st-hol'efor each compartment, av suitable channel connecting' the exhaust oi one'c'om-- partment with the feed-pipe of its' adjacent co1'npartrnent,and suitable paclriri'gtor the an enlarged shaft or drinn that passes lengths i wise through` its center" and is j ourrraled in the end pieces thereof, a rotating wheel in each compartment of' the cylinder that therein and upon a hollow pipeV [loosely therein and is rigidly attached to said shaft or drum, and that has one or more recesses or steam-chambers in its periphery, of suitable depth, length and width, one end of which said recess or chambers extends abruptly into the periphery of its respective wheel at any suitable curve or angle, and the other end, commencing at any suitable point, gradually lessens in depth untilit terminates in the periphery 0i the wheel, a feed-chamber rigidly attached to said cylinder for each compartment thereof, at any suitable place on its periphery for the inelosure of the feed valve, the inside of which is cylindrical in form and adapted to receive and' closely ernbrace a hollow cylindrical feed-'valve that i works loosely therein and upon a hollow pipe f passing through its center and which hasv a ateral slot running lengthwise through its gshell at any suitable place as an axle, the ends oi which are journaled in the ends of said feed-chamber, and that has a triangular or other suitably=shaped projection or nozzle rigidly attached to its periphery, of suitablelength, breadth and thickness to penetrate the said steam-chambers in the wheel and form a steam-tight partition therein, through which a long narrow slot passes from the cenL ter oi' said valve tok itsl front face, a lever at-A tached to the end of the axleipe which eX- tends through one end of the eed-chamber, a Y suitable recess in the frame of said ieed=cham ber' to receive said nozzle of the valve when closed, suitable partitions between the coins partments oi the cylinder', a suitable exhaustole for each compartment, a suitable chan I nel connecting the exhaust of one compari;` f ment with the feed-pipe of its adjacent cornpertinent, the steam-packing' device coinposed oi' the thin fiat cardsprece hinged by means or' a post-like attachment fastened on one end and that works loosely a cylin-A drieal hole which opens laterally'up-on the snr-l iace'to be packed, and having its outer end beveled to` admit the steam into-such beveled recess, substantially as set forth.- i 6 The combination, rotary'engines, of the holl'oW' cylinder' C, the drum D, the' shaft Sl j'ournaled in the end piecesE, the wheel W i attached to said shaft or drum, with its re'e cess'es F and F initsperiphery, thai-eed# i chamber G tor' the inclosure of t'l'refeedevalve, the ieedvalve V with its nozzle N toi pene'-A 1 trate the stearnschambers of the wheel' forI the passage ei the steam tol the wheel, the axlepipe J with its slot O, the recess R for' the r`e` ,f ception or the nozzle oi' the valve, the earhaast-pipe T" for the escape oi the steam, the I lever L, the aperture L the pipe U, the' steam-j f rings X, substantially as shown and described l and tor the purposes set forth. I 7'. TheV combination, in rotary engines, or the cylinder C,- ve'fith1 the end pieces E provided with onel ornrore compartments l and [VOOA ngo each compartment of the cylinder with one or more steam-chambers F and F in its periphery, the feed-chamber G for each cornpartment of the cylinder, the feed-valve V with its hole H, nozzle N, aperture I,the axlepipe J with its slot O, and projecting end M, the entrance-pipe U, the recess R, the exhaustipe T and T foreach compartment of the cylinder for the escape of the steam and connecting the exhaust of one with the entrance-pipe of its adjacent compartment, thev feed-chamber G', the lever L, the rim 8, the Hat card-piece 6 with edges 7, cylindrical post Z and journal Y, substantially as shown and described and for the purposes set forth.

8. In a rotary engine, the combination of a cylinder with closed ends, having one compartment, and an enlarged shaft or drum that passeslengthwise through its center and is journaled in the end ieces thereof, a rotating Wheel that turns4 oosely therein and is -rigidly attached to said shaft or drum and that has two or more sets of chambers in its periphery, of suitable depth, length and width, each recess insaid several sets of chambers extends abruptly into the periphery of said Wheel, at any suitable curve or angle,

and the other end, commencing at any suitable point, gradually lessens in depth until it terminates in the eriphery of the wheel, a feed-chamber rigid y attached to said cylinder for each set of recesses in said wheel, at

' any suitable place on its periphery for the inclosure of a feed-valve, the inside of which is cylindrical in form and adapted to receive and closely embrace a hollow cylindrical feedvalve that works loosely therein and upon a hollow feed-pipe passing through its center, which has a lateral slot lrunning lengthwise through its shell at any suitable place as an axis, the ends of which are journaled in the end pieces of said feed-chamber, and that has a triangular or other suitably-shaped projection or nozzle rigidly attached to its periphery, of suitable length, breadth and thickness, and adapted to drop from the frame of the feed-chamber and to enetrate the said steam-recesses in the whee and form a steamtight partition therein, through which a long narrow slot passes from the center of said valve to its front face, a lever attached to the end ofthe axle-pipe which extends through one end of the feed-chamber, a suitable recess in the frame of the feed-chamber to receive said nozzle of the valve when closed, suitable partitions 'between the several sets of recesses or chambers in the peri hery of said wheel, a suitable exhaustort or each set of charnbers, a suitable c annel or ipe connecting the exhaust of one set of chani ers to the feedpipe of its adjacent set of chambers and suitab e packing for the stearnjoints, substantially as described and for the purposes set forth. f In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.,

l AMOS H. CARPENTER.

Witnesses: Y

KARL C. BRUEox, HARRY F. WULFF. 

